Variable volume suitcase



y 1949- G. J. HELEERT VARIABLE VOLUME SUITCASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJuly 31, 1946 INVENTOR -Jv'z" \L l w AC1 TOQNEY y 3949 G. .J. HELBERT2,475,963

VARIABLE VOLUME SUITCASE Filed July 31, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m R W a mN G I Q\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ I\ E m M. F W W W W W a a ATTORNEY Patented July12, 1949 a "jZl475,9.61 VARIABIZE'MOLUMESUITCASE George H rt. .Ut a, N-Ysyassig o o n half to ChittlQsKA. Heaton, ,Utica, 'N. Y.

.. Application July 31, 1946;:SerialNo. 687,253

4 4. Glaims; (Cl. 190-47) This invention I relates generally to-;;improvements .in suit ,cases or; lug age, but, more" particularly to-asuit casecwhich is adjustable to different 1engths.-1and=;thereby servestortakerthe place of three standard;size-,suit, cases.

It: has for; one of its; objects to providera selfcontained sectionalsuitlcase which is, so.;designed and constructed: that it can be readilyZandeasily adjusted-by: the usento any standard;s-lze desired, say tosimulateqeither an .-l8-inch,. 21-inch or 24-inch suitgcasemand whichis;balanced in all positions thereof.

Another: object of the-inventionis to provide a self-adjustable suitcase of this; character which is; neat in appearance, light in 3 weight;compact ,and inexpensive in construction,;and,which-embodies-effectivemeans forllatching thelcase in its different positions; of adjustment.

Other features of the-invention reside imthe construction andarrangement of parts ;herein+ afterdescribed and particularly pointedout in theappended claims.

.In the accompanying drawings:

Figure; 1 is a; perspective view ot the suit case a it p s in ts; mal t;ad usted size-.11; eu -e I 2 is a perspective view thereof asit appearsin its largest adjusted size. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the caseshown in Figure 2, but in its open position ready forpacking. Figure 4is a detached perspective rear, view of thcmiddlepr. ma nb y section ofthe case, but omitting an interior ,iront wall guide panel. Figure 5 isa detached perspective viewof 'oneof-theend sectionsoi the case. Figure6 is a horizontal sectiontaken in the plane ofline 6-45, Figure 7,with-the,- case adjusted to its intermediate size. Figure 7,-isanenlaiged cross section taken on line 1-4, Figure 3 Figure .8 is asimilar fragmentary, cro$S/:.Sectin taken in the plane of line 8-8,Figure 3, but with the cover sections closed.

Similar characters of ,reference indicate-the corresponding partsthroughout the several-views.

In the; preferred embodiment ,Of my invention shown in the drawings, thesame comprises a main central or middle section III' which is ofrectangular cross-section and tubular in form, and end sections II, IIwhich are substantially box-like in form and are telescopically fittedin the opposite ends of the central section for longitudinal adjustmentrelative thereto to vary the length and capacity of the case. Thesesections may be made of any appropriate material and suitably coveredboth exteriorly and interiorly thereof, with the interior provided withcustomary pockets and other appurtenances common to the luggage art.

w-Thelmain or. central section In of the suit .caseis: composed of; abody 12 vof substantially ,Li-shape, in cross-section, to provide abottom and sidewalls, and a companion cover l3 of like shape, but,shallower, hinged at M to the rearwall of suchbody asshown in Figure 4.This main section.,is, also.provided with the customary hardwareemployedfor; carrying and latching purposes, a handle I 5 beinglattached to thetopside wall of the body 12, while pivoted catches l6 and companion,latching plates I! are applied to theadjoining top. sides of the coverl3 and body, respectively.

7 The ,end sections M, H which. nest or telescopically fit within. theopposite ends of. the central section [0 andform end closures thereforareeach composed of a body N3 of substantially U-shape in cross-sectionto provideabottom, sides. and amend wall, and a companion. cover 19 oflikeshape, but shallowerghinged at 20 to the, rear, wall -oi-such body,as shown in Figure landiadapted to swing in the same plane as the. cover[3 .of the main section. The bodies .of theseend sections nest withinthe companion ,body l2 of the central section while the covers 19thereof nest within the cover I3 of suchcentral section, asv showninFigures .2, 3, 7 and 8. ,The inner or opposing. ends of the end sectionsare open to provide .or establish open communication with thecentralsection, and such end sectionsconstitute the ends of the adjustable suitcase. In. the smallestsize of the case, shown in, Figure ,1,. the,enddwalls of the end sections are substantiallyflush .with the matingends of the central section, while in theintennediate adjustment, shownby the dot and dash lines in Figure 2, and. in the maximum sizeadjustment shown by full lines in thesame figure, the end sectionsproject uniformly corresponding distances beyond the opposite ends ofthe central section.

v For the purpose of properly andeffectually 3 ing. The free ends ofthese strips are normally flexed toward the body side Walls and therebyserve to frictionally grip and properly guide the end sections in astraight path. To limit the outward travel of the end sections relativeto the main section, transverse cleats 25 are applied to the contiguousopposing faces of the bottom walls of such sections, as shown in Figures4, 5, and 6, which abut against each other in the maximum extendedpositions of the sections.

The means employed for retaining the end. sections H in their respectiveadjusted positions consist of the cover-latching catches I1 and alongitudinal row of equi-spaced openings 26 formed in the front sidewall of each end section and with which such catches are adapted toreleasably interlock. The tongues 21 of these catches are of a length toextend into one or an- '4 former, and complementary means applied to thecover of the main section and to the bodies of the main and end sectionsfor jointly releasably latching the latter in their respective adjustedpositions relative to the main section and the respective covers intheir closed positions.

3. A suit case of the character described, comprising a main centralsection of tubular-like form having opposing parallel side walls, twoend sections of substantially box-like form telescopically fitted in theopposite ends of said main section for adjustment relative thereto tovary the length and capacity of the case, each of said sectionsincluding a body and a separate cover hinged thereto with the covers ofthe end sections disposed to nest partially or completely within thecover of the main section as determined by other of the companionlatching openings and thereby serve the dual function of latching thecover I3 of the case in its closed position as well as latching the endsections of the case in'their adjusted positions to retain them in placeagainst endwise displacement. By this construction, the end sections areeffectually held in place when the suit case is closed and carried fromplace to place, and when opened the sections are automatically unlatchedand may be adjusted to suit the particular needs of the user. It will beunderstood that the covers IQ of the end sections are held closed by thecover of the main or central section.

I claim as my invention;

1. A suit case of the character described, comprising a main centralsection of tubular-like form including a body and a cover hingedthereto, end sections of substantially box-like form telescopicallyfitted in the opposite ends of said main section for adjustment relativethereto to vary the length and capacity of the case, each of said endsections being in open communication with and constituting an endclosure for the main section and including a body and a cover hingedthereto to swing in the plane of the cover of the main section, andcomplementary means applied to the cover of the main section and to thebodies of the main and end sections for jointly releasably latching thelatter in their adjusted positions relative to the main section and therespective covers in their closed positions.

2. A suit case of the character described, comprising a main centralsection of tubular-like form including a body and a cover hingedthereto, end sections of substantially box-like form telescopicallyfitted in the opposite ends of said main section for adjustment relativethereto to vary the length and capacity of the case, each of said endsections being in open communication with and constituting an endclosure for the main section and including a body and a cover hingedthereto to swing in the plane of the cover of the main section,coengaging means on said main section and said end sections for limitingthe outward displacement of the latter relative to the the adjustment ofthe sections, means applied to the opposing side walls of the mainsection in spaced coextensive relation thereto for receiving and guidingthe companion opposing side walls of the telescoping end sections, andinter-engaging means applied to one of the side walls of the mainsection and its cover and to the adjoining side walls of the endsections for releasably latching the latter in their respective adjustedpositions relative to the main section and the respective covers intheir closed positions.

4. A suit case of the character described, comprising a main centralsection of tubular-like form, two end sections of substantially-box-likeform telescopically fitted in the opposite ends of said main section foradjustment relative thereto to vary the length and capacity of the case,each of said sections including a body and a separate cover hingedthereto with the covers of the end sections disposed to nest partiallyor completely within the cover of the main section as determined by theadjustment of the sections, and releasable catches applied to the mainsection and its cover for latching the same and the end section-coversin a closed position,'the body of each end section having a row ofopenings therein with one or another of which the companion cover catchis adapted to interlock to retain such end sections in a set position ofadjustment.

' GEORGE J. HILBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 584,279 Wallace June 8, 18971,748,024 Machemer ,Feb. 18, 1930 1,849,046 Arndt Mar. 8, 1932 1,941,375Wildman Dec. 26, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 223,754 GreatBritain Oct. 30, 1924 562,057 Germany Oct. 21, 1932

